1-1-2 



PLATVCKIUnN.B. 



( Cdiiuiynia f^laiua), at Nanabri.oii the Namoi River, in October, i<Sg6, measures; — Len,L;th (A) 

 i.iijy X 0-76 inches; (P))o-y4 x o-yd mches ; (C) o-y.S x 077 inches; (r))o-92 x 0-76 inches; 

 ( K) o-ijf) X o'7.S inches; (F) o-t;5 x o-7r) inches; ((i) ivyij x 0-77 inches. A set of six in Mr. 

 Thos. P. Austin's collection, taken by Mr. P. C. Cox at Munnell Station, Arniatree, New South 

 Wales, on the 2nd September, 11JO9, in a ,t;reen Box tree, fourteen feet Ironi the .ground and 

 nearly eight feet from the entrance hole, are long oval in form, pure white, except where nest 

 stained, the shell being close-grained, dull and lustreless and measures: — Length (A) i-o6 x o'62 

 inches; (1!) roj x o-8 inches ; (C) fob x o-8 inches (I^) 1-05 x 0-82 inches; ( E) f04 x o-<Si 

 inches; (F) I'oj x o-8i inches. Five eggs of a set of six taken in the same locality by ;\Ir. 

 Cox, on the gth September, igoy, measure: — Length (A) u-cjS x 0-78 inches; (1-!) i x 0-78 

 inches; (C) o-y6 x 0-78 inches; (D) o-y4 x 078 inches; (1'") 1-03 x o-^i inches. 



Young birds are everywhere paler than the adults, the blue on the face and forehead is more 

 circumscribed, there is a white spot at each side of the forehead, and the ear-coverts and lower 

 portion of the cheeks are whitish; the lesser wing-coverts are blue and the median coverts 

 yellowish-olive, more or less tipped with chestnut-red, and the greater coverts pale brown, 

 slightly tinged with oli\e : the centre of the abdomen and the llanks are dull crimson-red with 

 narrow pale yellow edges to the feathers ; the under tail-co\erts may be either uniform pale 

 yellow or pale yellow centred with light crimson-red; all Imt the outer quills ha\ea whitish 

 spot about the middle of their inner webs. Wing 4-75 inches. 



August anil the four following months constitute the breeding season of this species. ( )n 

 the Castlereagh I found it engaged in tlie duties of incubation, and also obtained well-Hedged 

 young early in October, and at Narrabri I saw young birds taken from the nesting-place early 

 in November. 



Psephotus xanthorrhous. 



YELLOW-VENTED PARKA KEET. 



I'liUycrrciis hii Duitoyasler (part), Gould, Proc. Zoul. 80c., 1S37, p. 8'J. 



Psephotus .caiiUidfi /loui', Gould, Handbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. IF., p. 63 (18(in) ; Salvad., Cat. Bds. Biit. 

 Mu.s., Vol. XX., p. 56:? ; Sharpe, Hand-1. Bds., Vol. IL, p. 3S (lOOU). 



AlJl'i/r M.M>;. — Likt' the adult nuile 0/ PsKPllorus n.EM..vroiiUHOi:s, Imt ivith llf hus^r ivitiy- 

 ciwerts blue, iiud must nf lln' median aucl greater coverts yelluivish-u/ire instead of chestuutred, the 

 feathers of the J'oretieck ami iijijier breast itrith pale yeUoivish shaft streaks, ami the auder tail-eoEerts 

 uj a uniforin rich yellotr, but aecasional/i/ more or less eenlreil or li/t/ied ivith dull crimson-red. 

 Total letiutli 12 '1 inches, irin.y ,'il, tail lr'7'i, bill <>'7, tarsus 0?:.'. 



Adult female. — Similar in plnmaije to tlie male, hut smaller and imih less crimson red on tlo' 

 centrr of tlie loicer breast aiid abdomen. 



Disfrihntion — New South Wales, Victoria, South .\ustralia. 



^^.AKlNCi the extremes, as given in the above and the preceding description, one can 

 readily recognise two distinct species, but judging from the series of specimens in the 

 .Australian Museum Collection, one will as frequently find examples combining the characters 

 of the two species, as they will to either of the distinct forms Psephotus hamatorvhous or P. 

 xanthorrhous. Thus while in the Red-vented Parrakeet specimens are to be found with crimson- 

 red under tail-coverts, and the wing streak more yellowish-oli\ e than chestnut-red, so in the 

 Yellow-vented Parrakeet will specimens be found with the under tail-coverts more or less centred 

 ox tipped with crimson-red, or the median upper wing-coverts tipped with chestnut-red. There 



